Prime Minister-designate Jacinda Ardern has revealed her new line-up of ministers, saying she has played to the strengths of the three parties that will make up the incoming government.

The list of ministers who will be formally appointed on Thursday contained few real surprises, with most taking charge of areas where they already held a shadow portfolio or level of expertise.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister, Minister for State Owned Enterprises and Racing Minister, with Ardern saying she looked forward to the “experience and expertise” he would bring.

Ardern herself took on the role of Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister - also held by the last Labour PM, Helen Clark - along with National Security and Intelligence.

While she could not take the operational role of Children’s Minister, Ardern said she had created the role of Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, with a unit to be set up within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to undertake work across all of government.

Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis was confirmed as Corrections Minister, and will also take on a new role of Minister for Crown/Maori relations, which Ardern said was about preparing for the transition into a post-Treaty of Waitangi negotiation period.

David Parker will have to do some heavy lifting as Minister of Trade and Export Growth, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Economic Development.

Former Labour leader Andrew Little has been made Justice Minister, and will also be in charge of preparing to re-enter the Pike River mine - a pledge made by Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens.

On the New Zealand First side, Ron Mark has been confirmed as Defence Minister, while Tracey Martin will be Children’s Minister and Shane Jones will take on the Regional Economic Development Minister role.

For the Greens, James Shaw will be Climate Change Minister, Julie Anne Genter Minister for Women, and Eugenie Sage Conservation Minister.

With a new government will come new ministries: Ardern confirmed the Ministry for Primary Industries would be split up into separate departments covering fisheries, forestry and agriculture, while there would also be changes to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Chris Hipkins:
Minister of Education
Minister of State Services
Leader of the House
Minister Responsible for Ministerial Services

Andrew Little:
Minister of Justice
Minister for Courts
Minister Responsible for the GCSB
Minister Responsible for the NZSIS Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry

Carmel Sepuloni:
Minister for Social Development
Minister for Disability Issues
Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
Associate Minister for Pacific Peoples

David Clark:
Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Finance

David Parker:
Attorney-General
Minister for Economic Development
Minister for the Environment
Minister for Trade and Export Growth
Associate Minister of Finance

Nanaia Mahuta:
Minister for Maori Development
Minister of Local Government
Associate Minister for the Environment

Stuart Nash:
Minister of Police
Minister of Fisheries
Minister of Revenue
Minister for Small Business

Iain Lees-Galloway:
Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety
Minister of Immigration
Minister for ACC
Deputy Leader of the House

Jenny Salesa:
Minister for Building and Construction
Minister for Ethnic Communities
Associate Minister of Education
Associate Minister of Health
Associate Minister of Housing and Urban Development

Eugenie Sage:
Minister of Conservation
Minister for Land Information
Associate Minister for the Environment

Undersecretaries

Michael Wood:
Undersecretary to the Minister for Ethnic Communities

Fletcher Tabuteau:
Undersecretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Undersecretary to the Minister of Regional Economic Development

Jan Logie:
Undersecretary to the Minister of Justice (Domestic and Sexual Violence Issues)

'Playing to strengths'

Speaking to RNZ’s Morning Report earlier in the day, Ardern said she had divided up the roles based on the capabilities and focus of particular ministers.

"What I focused on when I did the allocation was playing to the strengths of the ministers that we have. So with the Greens of course you'll see a strong environmental focus, with New Zealand First you'll see a strong focus on regional development,” Ardern told RNZ.

Asked about the Government’s commitment to increase the minimum wage to $20 by April 2021, Ardern said she would ask the tax working group to look at how it could “ease the burden” for small businesses.

“This is me foreshadowing that I do have a genuine interest in how we can support those who create jobs in New Zealand.”

The $1 billion a year Regional Development Fund secured by New Zealand First would be funded from $10b of unallocated capital expenditure in Labour’s fiscal plan, Ardern said.

She said the Government was taking official advice on its plans for a ban on foreign purchases of existing homes to decide the best way to implement it.

“Right now I’m looking at all the options and how to make that policy a reality.”

Before announcing the ministerial portfolios, Ardern will meet Irish president Michael D. Higgins at Parliament.

It will be her first face-to-face meeting with a world leader as the incoming prime minister - although Ardern has already spoken to US President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and others.

Later in the afternoon, Ardern will deliver a speech to the NZ Council of Trade Unions’ biennial conference, where she’s likely to receive a warm reception.